Thanksgiving Special
by nemaara
Summary: Raven has dinner with Jinx and her family.


Disclaimer: Teen Titans is not mine

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

* * *

"What... is that?"

Raven raised an eyebrow at a certain pink haired girl, who happened to be peeking over her shoulder at... an oven?

"It's a turkey. Ever seen one?"

"A _dead _turkey," Jinx corrected her.

"You don't eat live turkeys."

"But what for?"

Raven facepalmed. "Tomorrow - err, today's Thanksgiving right? Duh..."

Jinx sighed. "Rae, there's three things I want to ask you. One. You can cook?"

"Yes. Just... not pancakes."

"Uh, right." Jinx thought back to the time she had made pancakes for everyone, two years after the whole Trigon thing as a sort of celebration. It was not pretty.

"Two. You celebrate holidays?"

"Yeah. Is that really so shocking?"

"Well, I mean, it's just... you never show up to the parties and stuff and I figure you're not going to eat that by yourself."

"You're right."

"About..?"

"I'm not going to the Thanksgiving party. And I'm not going to eat it by myself."

"Then who's going to eat it with you?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Third question?"

"Wait, you didn't answer my second one! It's not like you have any other friends...err, I mean."

Raven sighed. "Next question?"

Jinx folded her arms across her chest and pouted.

... and pouted...

... and pouted...

The violet haired girl rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm going to visit my family."

"What?!"

"What? Isn't that what you normally do on Thanksgiving?"

"Err... but..." _There are so many things wrong about that statement. Doesn't she realize it?_

"If you must, you can come along too. Mother will be delighted to meet my girlfriend. Father... well, you can guess at how he is."

_"Trigon?!" _

"Third question?"

Jinx put a hand over her eyes and remained silent for a moment. "And third, Rae, why the hell are you up at 3am doing this?! Couldn't there have been a better time?!"

Raven blinked a couple times. "It's 3?"

"Yes, it's 3."

"Oh. Didn't realize. Well, I wasn't sleeping anyway."

Awkward silence.

"Any reason you're up so late?"

"Wasn't tired. Got to sleep the whole day since no villains showed up today. I guess even they take holidays off."

"Maybe. I mean, even father is taking a day off from being evil."

Raven paused for a moment. "Turkey's done. Now let's go."

"Why so early? Won't they be sleeping over there?"

"Time zone differences."

Jinx stared at her.

Raven shrugged. "Don't ask me how it works. All I know is, it'll be dinner time over there. If we're lucky, we can get back before our party's over too. Now, ready to go?"

"Uh, sure."

* * *

Azarath, as usual, was completely empty when they arrived after several hours of traveling through one of Raven's portals. Raven had long gotten used to the emptiness of the city, but Jinx, who had never seen Azarath before, was a little perturbed. Clinging to Raven's arm, she looked at the grand, empty buildings around her, getting a sensation that this had been a once great place that had fallen, and had only been recently restored.

"You're right," Raven muttered. "Trigon had reduced this place to ashes when he managed to break through the seal guarding Azarath. I managed to reverse it after I beat him. But the people are still gone."

"Why?"

Raven laughed bitterly. "You can't resurrect the dead, Jinx. Nobody can. Not even a demon lord."

"But Slade-"

"He was a weird case. He wasn't fully human to begin with. Something about a weird serum, and the fact that he wasn't really completely revived. He lost a part of himself forever. It's impossible for ordinary people. And I'm not even a demon lord."

"So your mother?"

Raven turned away. "Her body was destroyed. But she's still here for me."

"Rae..."

"Shush. You don't need to feel bad for me. I got over it a long time ago." _At least I thought I did. _

Jinx poked Raven in the side and the violet haired girl squeaked, jumping slightly. She blushed and rubbed her side. "What was that for?"

"For being stubborn again. It's okay. I get it. I lost some people important to me too-"

"I said I got over it. It's fine now. Besides, she's still here."

The pinkette sighed. Raven ignored her, gesturing to the highest tower in Azarath, a grand spire towering over the rest of the already grandiose city.

"That's where I grew up. Well, I grew up in the temples surrounding that place. But I still spent a lot of time there."

"What is it?"

Raven's eyes glazed over. "Azar's tower," she said softly. "The priests treated me like I was a demon, like my father. Not a full fledged one, of course, just a demonling, one that needed to be, well, reformed, if she were to exist alongside humans. They wouldn't beat a child, of course, especially not a girl child whose cognitive abilities were already fully developed when she was born. But still..." She shivered. "I was always alone because of it. So Azar taught me to meditate, as a way to cope with my demon side I suppose, but also as a way to learn to love solitude rather than to hate it. I guess being alone really isn't too bad. It's just overwhelming sometimes, being completely by yourself, with no one else-"

"Besides me," Jinx smiled at her and hugged the violet haired girl.

Raven blinked a couple times. "Now that I think of it, they were just afraid of me, weren't they? Even my own mother," she said softly. "And father only tried to use me for his own gain. I was only a tool. Even the Titans, they were a bit afraid of me sometimes. They couldn't understand why I was different."

Jinx frowned. "Like I said, you have me. And you know I get it. You don't have to bear it all alone anymore."

Raven smiled slightly. "I know," she hugged Jinx back and lowered her hood. "Come on, let's meet my mother."

* * *

"Raven?"

"Mother. Arella, this is my friend I told you about."

Arella stared at her daughter and then at the pinkette, and then back again. "She seems like a good match for you."

Both of them blushed faintly, and Arella smiled. "Well come in. The food is almost ready."

They entered the house and followed the older woman to a cozy room next to the kitchen and sat at a table set for four. Raven and Jinx look at each other once, then sat next to each other, prompting a slight smile from Arella.

"I've got the turkey," Raven muttered, her cheeks still slightly pink. She opened a portal and a freshly cooked, still warm turkey came out. Arella nodded and set it on the table, then followed it with several other plates filled with food - mashed potatoes, rice, bread, a pot of cranberry juice, assorted vegetables...

Jinx's mouth began to water.

"When do we get to eat?"

"When father gets here," Raven replied smoothly, leaning back on the bench she and Jinx were seated on. "Make yourself comfortable. There's no need to be so tense."

"I'm starving," Jinx muttered. "I can't help it."

Raven laughed. "Come here," she moved closer to the pinkette, who merely gave her a weird look.

"What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Raven whispered in her ear. "This."

She leaned in and gave Jinx a quick peck on the cheek, prompting a deep blush from her.

"Thanks for coming with me," Raven breathed in her ear again. "It would've been scary without you."

Raven turned Jinx's head toward her and this time gave her a kiss full on the lips.

_What the hell? Why is she doing this? Well, I'm not going to complain. _Jinx's tongue moved forward and parted Raven's lips, and the violet haired girl responded in turn. And then they broke apart when they heard Raven's mother coming back.

"Daughter," Trigon greeted her gruffly.

"Father," she replied tonelessly.

She had to admit, it was strange seeing a Trigon that was only about 6 feet tall rather than 90 feet tall, but then again, had he actually been 90 feet tall, they wouldn't have had enough food to feed him.

"And my daughter's friend. First time we have met, I believe."

"Uh, yeah."

Trigon laughed. "Interesting. I would not have expected this from you, Pride. To imagine that you would have sought out this type of companionship. Forget finding a partner as a half-demon. You actually sought out another _female _to be your mate. It seems that I was mistaken when I thought you would try to seduce that masked boy."

Raven frowned. "What are you talking about."

The demon snorted. "I cannot imagine that your palate would be so stimulated by mere food."

Raven thought for a moment, then blushed furiously, raising her napkin and wiping the residue of her kiss with Jinx off her face. And then she turned to glare at her 'friend'.

Jinx looked away with shifty eyes.

"You didn't warn me," Raven hissed.

"It's so funny seeing you get embarrassed like that. In front of your parents too!"

Raven's blush deepened further and she looked at her mother, who was smiling very slightly again.

"What?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking that we might as well eat before the food gets cold," Arella said lightly, but not without a slight laugh in her voice.

"Sounds good," Jinx glanced at Raven, smirked, then began piling food on her plate.

* * *

"But, it has been a while, daughter. Since you sapped away most of my power and left me trapped in my own realm." Trigon bit off a mouthful of turkey and swallowed without even chewing.

"Oh, sorry," Raven replied sarcastically. "But you know, I wanted to save my world and I couldn't just let you take it for free."

"Oh? If I recall, who was the little girl sitting at the edge of that cliff crying about everything being hopeless?"

"S-Shut up. I was just whining."

"Yeah, she does that a lot-"

"Shut up Jinx."

Trigon chuckled. "Still, I would not have expected such strength from you, Pride, the youngest of my children. You cannot imagine how proud I was that day, when I saw that my daughter had become so powerful."

Raven frowned. "That's not exactly what a parent should be proud of, right? His child merely being powerful..."

"A _human _parent," Trigon corrected. "But we demons sire children to become more powerful than ourselves and to fight for their own selfish desires. Actually, that is the same for humans too, is it not? You pretend to be concerned about other humans, but when it comes down to it, you only live to serve yourselves."

"That's not true-"

"Isn't it? Ultimately, the purpose of your life is to fulfill what you want, and not what anyone else wants. In the grand scheme of things, you, as a pitiful human, are meaningless anyway, so you might as well live in a way that brings your own enjoyment. That is why you fight for others, dear Pride, because you need their companionship and it is the best way for you to prove yourself to them. And it would seem to be the same way with your friend as well."

"That's-"

"I guess it's somewhat true," Jinx said softly. "We are mostly concerned with ourselves... and those close to us, aren't we? I mean, if I had to choose between saving ten random people off the streets and you, I would totally save you, Raven."

Raven turned faintly pink. "H-How bold of you to admit that, Jinx."

Trigon laughed. "An honest one. How rare among you humans."

"Well I can't help it," Jinx retorted. "She means everything to me."

"Yes... it is not wrong to seek out what holds meaning to you, for that is what your life is meant to be. A quest in search of what you, as an individual, desire."

Raven hissed. "If that were the case, then there would no be such things as families and community among humans. If people only sought what they desired. And same for demons. I bet if all your little minions had ganged up on you, they would have beaten you and you would no longer be their ruler. Instead, each of them would have found the power they desired."

Trigon's eyes narrowed. "Indeed, perhaps. But you forget. If one human kills another, he infringes on the other's wants. If every human were to do something that was to harm those around him, even if it brought him joy, then those around him would prevent that. And among demons, if they were to destroy me, the most powerful of them, then the other demon lords, who have been held at bay by _me, _would simply come and enslave them again. It is all about common good, or in other words, balance."

"So even you agree. We must be concerned about each other."

"Indeed. But not for those high and mighty moral reasons you suggest."

Raven sighed. "Funny how we're talking about this on Thanksgiving, right? A holiday that celebrates those 'high and mighty moral reasons'."

The demon shrugged. "Whatever. You are part human, so it is only natural for you to entertain those thoughts."

The violet haired girl blinked a few times. "That's the first time I've heard you be accepting of anything."

"First time for everything. Of course you are part human. That comes from your mother."

He turned and looked at his well... technically she wasn't his wife, but... Arella bent her head down slightly, as if accepting, or something...

"You hate me. Of course you hate me. That is the way of things."

Arella closed her eyes and sighed. "I technically am not from Azarath. The Azarathians created you when they expelled their foul thoughts from their minds and condensed them into an entity, a new demon lord. I hesitate to call them fools but... perhaps it might have been more prudent for them to deal with their faults themselves rather than run away from them and create you. I hesitate to say it but... they brought the destruction you wrought on themselves. And on me. So perhaps rather than saying I hate you, I recognize that it was inevitable."

"After the fact."

Arella nodded. "I cannot say that I want to have anything to do with you. But I do not hate you for that. We are merely... opposed. Opposite forces of nature, so to speak. Though your power far exceeds mine..."

"That is why I fight in your stead, mother. But it's not so simple," Raven sighed. "I am part demon as well."

"Seems like I am not the only accepting one here."

Raven glared at him, but her gaze softened after a moment. "I came to terms with that a while ago. It's part of my nature. Rage, being destructive, all of that. I mean, I have a bad temper, I'm antisocial... I'm not friendly..." Raven looked more and more depressed with every passing statement. "Oh well. It comes from my demon side."

"And power. And willpower, mental strength. And the drive to pursue what you wish to pursue."

Raven nodded. "There are aspects of everything that benefit and harm you. There are no beings that are purely 'good' or 'evil'. Even with all of our different definitions of good and evil, everyone is partially 'good' and partially 'evil'."

"Um... English please?"

"There's a good and bad to everything. Even if good and bad are different for all of us."

"Uh, yeah. Duh."

Raven rolled her eyes. "What I'm saying is, even someone like my father has some merit to him, even to my mother and I. And us to him."

Jinx paused for a moment.

"I thought you said he was the root of all evil."

"Err I did say that once. But I am wiser now."

"Wow, Rae. You're learning to be a diplomat-"

"It's Thanksgiving. Give me a break."

Jinx smiled. "Raven being _placid _for once. And for all I've heard about you, you seem pretty placid for being... well, a demon lord."

"Why thank you. I am not so irrationally power hungry as you fools might think. It is true, I do not think much of you humans... well, I didn't use to anyway. But perhaps you have shown me that you are not completely useless."

"Umm thanks."

Raven's eyes were as wide as the plate her food was on. "Father... since when were you so."

"It is your pitiful human holiday. But I cannot help but feel a bit... more inclined to not crush you today."

"Wonderful. _Great _family dinner we have here."

"But you would consider it better than fighting me, would you not?"

"Same to you."

"Possibly. Certainly I am... wary of your strength."

"Aww thanks. Love you too daddy." She turned. "And of course, you too mommy."

Arella rolled her eyes, but then looked at Raven seriously. "Daughter. I will be honest with you now, though. I... regret being so terrified of you when you were first born. Your life must have been hard..."

Raven shrugged. "What's done is done. At least we are on better terms now. All of us."

"Enough to sit down and have a dinner together."

"Aww, aren't we all just one great big happy family," Jinx laughed. "Here, the three of you get together. I want a picture of you guys."

Raven and Trigon glared at the pinkette, but after a bit of coaxing from both Arella and Jinx, they complied.

* * *

"I was surprised though. Trigon was surprisingly... not out to kill you."

"_You _were surprised? _I _was surprised. I never would have expected that from him."

Jinx smiled at Raven. "Looks like he isn't as bad as you described-"

"I doubt that."

A catlike smirk. "Then I guess maybe the holiday spirit gets to everyone a little. Even a demon lord like Trigon."

"Maybe."

It was silent for a while as they traveled through the darkness back to Earth. Eventually, a light appeared at the end and the pair emerged back in the Titan's Tower, in front of Raven's room.

"It's only 8. Party's got started like an hour ago. You should come."

Raven shook her head. "I'm tired. All that dimension traveling. You know how it is. And I didn't sleep yet."

"Excuses."

"Please."

Jinx sighed. And smirked again. "Alright, Rae. Fine. Happy Thanksgiving."

Raven blinked. "You're letting me go? Usually you tried to pressure me more into doing whatever."

The pinkette chuckled. "You wish." She opened the door to Raven's room. "I'll ditch the party too. You're going to be _exhausted _when I'm through with you."

* * *

A/N: Not great, but since it's Thanksgiving and I had a couple hours today, decided to write you guys a short story. Happy Thanksgiving everyone


End file.
